Handle construction



May 14, 1963 J. W. RYAN ETAL 3,382,526

HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 14, 1968 J.w. RYAN ETAL 3,382,526

HANDLE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1966 United States Patent O 3,382,526 HANDLE CONSTRUCTION .lohn W. Ryan, Bel-Air, Albert Safianofi-, Palos Verdes Peninsula, and Philip Morgan, Palos Verdes Estates,

Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a

corporation of California Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 530,600 4 Claims. (Cl. 16 110) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A unitary handle construction formed from a suitable, ilexible and resilient plastic material, such as polypropylene. The handle construction generally comprises a grippable handle portion which is hingedly and integrally connected at each end to a base member or portion. Each of the base members is formed with retaining or mounting means for the attachment of the members to one of the separable portions of the case or other article on which the handle is mounted. The hinged connection between each of the handle ends and the adjacent base member comprises a plurality of thinned portions which define integral live hinges in each handle end that serve to enable the handle portion to be easily collapsed from an operative position, wherein it is spaced from the case portion on which it is mounted a sufiicient distance to be easily gripped, to an inoperative position wherein it is disposed closely adjacent to the case portion. Each of the base members is integrally and hingedly connected .to a locking member which is adapted to be selectively engaged with a member on the other case portion, when the case portions are disposed in abutting or closed relation, to thereby lock the case portions together.

The present invention pertains to a carrying handle and, more particularly, to a unitary, collapsible handle construction which is adapted to be easily self-mounted on a first portion of a case and which is provided with locking means formed integral therewith for selectively locking a second portion of the case to the iirst portion.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carrying handle which is so formed as to be collapsible and self-mounting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary, collapsible carrying handle which is formed with integral mounting means that may be easily mounted on a case or other article to be carried by the handle.

A further object is the provision of a carrying handle of unitary construction having mounting members formed integral with the end portions thereof, the mounting members having integral locking portions adapted to serve as locking means for a case or other article on which the handle is mounted.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a carrying handle for a case having separable portions, the handle being collapsible and being unitarily formed in a manner to be self-mountable on one of the case portions.

A still further object is the provision of such a unitary carrying handle for a case having separable portions, the handle being so constructed as to be adapted to selectively lock the separable case portions together.

An additional object is to provide such a unitary, collapsible, self-mounting and locking handle, which is so constructed as to be easily formed or molded from a plastic material in an economical manner.

The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

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In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a handle construction which is formed according to the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 2 2 of FIGURE l, showing the handle in a collapsed position relative to the base portions of the handle construction;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, taken substantially along line 3 3 of FIGURE 1, and showing the handle in a raised position relative to the base por tions;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line y4 4 of FIGURE 1, showing a base portion and a locking member for the handle construction and the relative movement therebetween;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the lower portion of the handle construction shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, elevational sectional view showing portions of a base portion and a locking member of the instant handle construction, and their cooperation with a case or other article on which the handle is mounted; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the instant handle construction, showing it mounted on one of the separable portions of a case which is partially open.

As an exemplary or preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIGURES 1 through 5 disclose a unitary handle construction 10 preferably formed of a suitable plastic material such as polypropylene or an equivalent material. The handle construction 10 generally comprises an elongated, collapsible handle 12 which is integrally formed at the ends thereof with a pair of base or mounting portions or members 14, each of which is formed integral with a movable locking member 16.

The handle 12 comprises an elongated, generally ilat upper wall 18, and side walls 20 and end walls 22 all depending from the upper wall 18 (see FIGURE 2). A foldable handle portion or panel 24 is connected at one end to each of the end walls 22 of the handle through an integral hinge 26 dened by a thinned line area extending substantially transversely aeross the handle. The other end of each of the foldable handle portions 24 is integrally, hingedly connected at 28 to an upwardly ex-v tending panel 30 which, in turn, is integrally connected to one of the base members 14. Each of the hinge connections 28 is formed by providing a thinned line area in the handle which extends substantially transversely thereacross in parallel relation to the similarly formed hinges 26.

lIt is noted that, in materials such as polypropylene, integral or live hinges, such as the hinges 26 and 28y in the handle 12, may lbe formed by thinning a predetermined area or portion of the material to a small thickne'ss of approximately .010 inch. With materials such as polypropylene, such a thinned area can be flexed as a hinge for substantially an endless number of times without weakening or breaking.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be app-arent that the handle 112 may be collapsed relative to the connecting p'anel-s 30 and base members 14, by pushing it downwardly to fold each of the handle portions 24 to the position shown in yFIGURE 2, wherein each handle portion 24 ex-tends downwardly and inwardly toward the adjacent hian'dle end wall 22. When the h'andle is pulled upwardly to the operative position of FIGURE 3, each of the foldable handle portions 24 assumes a position in substantial alignment with the adjacent end wall 212 and connecting panel 30.

` i {Each of the base members 14 comprises `a relatively `(see FIGURES 1.and2).` Extending ,downwardly from the baseme'mtber 14, adjacent the sidewall 34, are a pair of integral locking elements 42 and 44 having outwardly turned lower ends which are adapted to secure each of the base members .14 to a case or articleon which the handle constructionis mounted, kin a manner to `be more specifically described hereinafter. For the same purpose, a locking element 46 extends downwardly from and is integrally formed with the portion of each of the base members `14 adjacent theside wall 36 thereof..As shown in FIGURES 1 andS, one end of the center panel 32 of each of the base members 14 is provided with a slot or recess48thereinfor a` purpose to be described hereinafter.` t t ,Tineoppositeend of thefcenter panelSQ of each base member .1'4 is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined `end Wall 50 which is hingedly connected at 52 e to a. similar end wall S4 of the adjacent locking member =andis secured to the upper in the case portion, and theengagement of the outwardly `turned ends of these loc'kingelements with the undersurface of the upper wall of the case portion .100r (see FIG- URE 7). The handle construction 10 is positioned on the case .portion 100 so that the `ends of the base `members 1-4 i having the slots 48therein extend inwardly beyond the case portion 100 toward the second case portion 106.

The second case portion 106 is provided with an upper recessed area 108, preferably corresponding to the recessed larea 104, having formed thereon a pair of upstanding, `ribbed locking pins 110 comprising enlarged, generallyeircular upper ends 112. The locking pins 1110 may be formed integrally with the caseportion 106 or may be rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. Each of the locking pins 1'10 is so ypositioned on the upper surlface Iof the` case portion 106 as to be received in the recess 48 of the adjacent base member14, when the case portions 100 and 106 are disposed in abutting or closed 'y relation (see FIGURES 7 and s). when the locking pins is @serieuses 1; `4 and `5). The hingseonnecnon s2 f is formed by providing a thinned line area extending across the junct-ion of the end walls 50 and 54, similarly `to the hinge"connections` 226, 28.' Preferably, thehinge connection 52 is disposed in substantially perpendicular` `relationto the hinged connections `26, 28 in the handle 12.

Each of the locking members 16 comprises a generally ilat center panel 56 and a pair of side walls 58 and 6l);y extending `outwardly and upwardlyfrom the center panel 56. The sidewalls 518 and 60 are adapted to extend `over "the sidewalls 3*4 and 36 of the adjacent base member 14 whenthe locking member is pivoted about the hinge connection SZinto a position overlying the base member (see FIGURES 4 `and 7); Extending upwardly from the center panel 56 and inwardly from the sidewalls 58, 60

Aare `disposed inthe base member recesses 48, the locking members 16 may be pivoted about the hinge connections 152 toward the'` base members 14 to snap the hooked locking elements 68, extending from the center panel 56 of l each of the locking members yI6 over the enlarged end 1112 of each kof the locking pins 1110, thereby locking the t case portion 106 and the case portion 100 in abutting are a .pair of r-ibs 62 which are positioned to engage the j fside walls 34 and 36 of the adjacent base member to limi-t the downward movement of the locking member 16 relaytive thereto:

Disposed adjacent the outer end ofy the center panel 56 of each of lthe locking members 16 is a generally circular aperture 64 which is so positioned as to be substantially laligned with the inner p'ortion of the adjacent base member `slot 48 when the locking member .1/6 overlies the baseL member (see FIGURES 1,` 4 and 8). A curved ribl 66 isk ydisposed adjacent to and in substantial alignment with the outer edge portion of the aperture 64, and a pair of locking elements`68 and 70 extend outwardly from the 'center panel .56 on opposite sides ofthe aperture 64 and are providedwith mutually facing hooked ends for a purpose tobe described hereinafter. j

Asshoiwn in FIGURES 1 and 4, a tapered pin 70 is provided near the inner end of the central panel 56 of each"` locking member 16, and is adapted to enter a similarly tapered recess 7t2 `in an upstanding cylindrical member 74 on the adjacentbase member 14, whenthe locking memberl' is pivoted about the hinge connection 52 toward the adjacent base member 14.*The cooperation between .the pinQ70 of each locking member 16 and the aper ture 72 of each base member 14 serves, to properly align thesemembers as the ,locking member is pivoted toward theybase member into a` position overlyingit. Also, the engagement of the pin 70 in the ,aperture 72 prevents relative lateral movement between each base member 14 and t its Arespective locking member 16, when the latter is in a `position ,overlying the former.`

I Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8; the instant handle t construction 10 is shown `in .a position wherein it is mounted on oneof the separable portions 100 of a case 102,

or other article with which the instant handle construction or closed relation. j

It is apparent thatfthe positioning of the locking pins 110 in the base member recesses 43 prevents relative lateral movement between the case portions and 106, and thatthe engagement of the curved rib 66 on each locking member 16 with the outer edge of the locking pin ends 112 prevents opening movement of the case portion 1106in a direction away from the case portion'100i. As noted above, the cooperation between the tapered pins 70 onvthe locking members 16 and the tapered recesses 72 inthe base members 14 serves to insure their proper alignment, so that the locking elements 68 of the locking members will properly engage the locking pin ends k112 when the locking pins 1110 are disposed in the base member recesses 48 and the locking members 16 are pivoted downwardly to lock the case halves together as hereiny before described.

Owing to the foldable portions 24 provided adjacent each end of the handle 12, and defined by the hinge connections 26 and 28, the handle 12 may be selectively f moved between a collapsed position relative to the base y FIGURE 3). When ythe base members 14 are` mountedr on the case 102, it is preferable that they be spacedrin a manner so that the movement of the handle 12 between the `collapsed and raised kpositions will be accompanied by a snap action that serves to retain the handle in the selected position.k

It is noted'` that when the handle is in the collapsed position of FIGURE k2, it preferably is disposed within-the recessed area 104 of the case portion 100, and thus does not extend upwardly therefrom. lIt is also preferable that the locking members 16 and the locking pins 110, when in interlocked relation, do not extend above the recessed areas 104 and 108 yol the case portions 100 and 106, respectivelyto thus provide a combined handle and lock-` ing construction for `the case 102 which can be fully enclosed Within the recessed rportionsfthereof to provide the case with a substantially yuniform outer contour.

The above-described unitary handle construction which incorporatesk a collapsible handle and integrally formed surfaceof the case portion by the positioning of the locking elements 42, 44 kand 46 `of each of the base members 14 in corresponding apertures case mounting and locking means, is so constructed that it can be easily and cheaply molded in asimple operation from a suitable plastic material such as polypropylene. The instant handle construction is further advantageous in that it is lightweight, durable, easily self-mountable, and capable of serving as a locking means for the separable portions of an article on which it is mounted.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is: p

1. An integral handle structure of resilient liexible plastic material, comprising:

a handle;

a base member at each end of said handle, each base member being adapted to be secured to a portion of an article to mount the handle thereon; and

means integrally joining each base member to the adjacent end of said handle and defining spaced parallel hinge lines of reduced thickness between the handle and each base member, extending transversely of said handle to enable the handle to be selectively disposed in a plurality of positions relative to said base member.

2. A handle structure as defined in claim 1 including a locking member integrally hingedly connected to each base member for lockingly engaging another portion of an article to which said base members are secured.

3. A handle structure as dened in claim Z-wherein said base members extend laterally past at least one side of said handle, said locking members being hinged to the other side of said base members and being foldable to a position to also extend laterally past said at least one side of said handle.

4. A handle structure as defined in claim 1 including integral securing means projecting from each base member and adapted to interlockingly engage with an article on which said handle is to be secured.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,958,587 5/1934 Mitchell et al 16-115 2,675,457 4/ 1954 Privett 190-55 3,301,430 1/1967 Cornelius 16-150 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

